A World So Dark
by siriusxremus22
Summary: Ace has had a problem ever since he can remember. He manages it, and he lives. He even becomes a pirate, all he needed was Luffy to help him a bit, but now Luffy is leaving. Can he trust the people that he joins with to watch his back? Disclaimer: I don't One Piece, I only own the individual concept for this story. Disclaimer: Yaoi. Male x Male. If you don't like, please don't read
1. Chapter 1

"Ace! Ace! I'm back!" Luffy called out. Ace smiled as he heard his six year old brother come in. He also heard heavy footsteps following the small boy. That sound was accompanied by the swish of hair against a stiff shirt.

"Hello Luffy, Dadan." Ace said. He smiled, but didn't turn towards them.

"How the hell do you do that?" Dadan groused. Ace heard Luffy laugh at the woman. He could smell her perfume. It was light and fruity, an odd contrast to the large woman he knew her to be.

He heard light footsteps approaching, and seconds later felt a small hand on his shoulder, "Come downstairs Ace. You promised to spar with me." Luffy said. Ace reached out a hand and ran his fingertips over Luffy's face. His brother was smiling. Ace turned towards his brother, and smiled. He stood up, and held out a hand to Luffy, not because he needed it, but because Luffy liked helping him.

When Luffy was leading him he didn't need to click. He had to admit that it was nice to be pampered sometimes. As they traveled down the stairs, Ace's ears picked up the sounds of the bandits, and above all of that he could hear Sabo laughing. He smiled wider as the sound of his curly haired brother got closer. "Oi! Ace! Ready to spar with me and Luffy?" Sabo asked as he fell into step beside his brothers. Ace nodded, and hummed in agreement.

He heard the sound of something moving through the air, and lifted his hand. A bread roll smacked into his palm and he closed his fingers around it, quickly, but gently. He turned his unseeing eyes toward the direction it had come from, and clicked twice before throwing it back. He heard a whump as the roll hit its target. He could hear the bandits laughing at the one who'd been taken out by a blind nine year old. He could hear Luffy and Sabo laughing, and for one brief moment he wished that he could see what they looked like. He knew, through words, what they looked like, and through touch as well, but he didn't know what the color blonde was, or the blue of Sabo's clothes. He didn't know what orange was, even though Luffy told him that it looked good on him. He did love wearing the hat though.

He dropped his thoughts as they exited the house, and the warm sun hit his face. A light breeze ruffled his hair. He snatched his stick out of the air when Sabo threw it to him, and immediately engaged the curly-haired boy.

Luffy watched his brothers' spar, as always, he was amazed to watch Ace move. Ace's dark eyes were always focused, and never strayed from their target. If Luffy hadn't known that his brother was blind, he'd never have been able to tell. Ace's blind eyes were nothing like Old Man Satoru's milky blind eyes, or the unfocused blind eyes of the Mario kid who couldn't do anything, claiming that it was because he was blind. Luffy really didn't like that kid. He was the same age as Ace, but Ace could fight, and explore, and hunt, and do all sorts of things. He had asked Ace why he thought that the Mario kid was so helpless, and Ace had said, "Perhaps he is afraid of the dark." Luffy thought that Ace had to be right.

Lu knew that Ace was strong and kind, and smart, no one could tell Luffy any different. Garp had told them that Ace got it from his dad, Roger. Ace had just smiled. Luffy could remember a time when they had first met, that Ace had hated his father, but Luffy had wanted to hear more about the man who had achieved Luffy's dream, and so Ace had listened, and started to understand. Luffy personally thought that Gramps had understood Ace's subconscious desire to know his father, and so hadn't spread the lies that the Marines had been telling for years.

Ace heard Luffy cheer as he beat Sabo for the fiftieth time, but he didn't know if it was because Lu was glad that he'd won, or if it was because now Luffy could spar. It didn't really matter to Ace so long as Luffy was happy. Ace heard the crunch of the rocks and dirt beneath Luffy's feet, and he clicked just to make sure. He could feel where Luffy was. He could always feel human and animal presence, and when they were about to strike, just like he could click, and identify everything else. It was a weird sort of perception of the world around him, at least, that's what Dadan told him when he'd tried to explain it to her. To him it was more natural than breathing.

Ace shot his foot up to kick Luffy away, even as his stick blocked Lu's. Sabo's voice rung out, "That's fifty wins for Ace, and zero for Lu."

"Ah man." Luffy grumbled, then laughed. Ace clicked his way over to Luffy, and rubbed him on the head.

"You're getting stronger Luffy." Ace said, and smiled. The rubber kid definitely was, but he still needed to work on his accuracy. He turned to where he could feel Sabo, "Let's go hunting for dinner now that all three of us are home." He said. His brothers cheered. Ace moved to the small store shed beside the house, and grabbed their metal pipes, handing his brothers their own, and then he led the way into the forest, his clicks growing more frequent as they moved further inward.

They brought down two wild boars and a crocodile. As they walked back, they talked about their pirate funds, and their plans to become pirates. Each was determined to captain his own ship, and have the others as their crewmates. They were still arguing about it when they arrived back at the house, and Dadan took their catch away so that she could cook it.

They washed up, and then sat at the table where they always did while waiting to eat. Ace loved chow time. It was always a fun battle royale. At first the bandits had left him alone because he was blind, and then he'd shown them he could handle himself just fine, and that hadn't been an issue anymore, and he'd been able to join in the fun. He heard Dadan come in from the kitchen, and the smell of meat invaded the air, and Ace grinned, let the games begin.


	2. Chapter 2

Ace could feel the heat on his face, and hear the roaring crackle of flames. It was beautiful, and deadly. The flames were reaching out to engulf him as he faced down Blue Jam, and then he'd felt Dadan, and knew that the flames would try to eat her too. He fought the insane pirate harder, and just as he struck him down, he felt flames lick along his back, and then Dadan had him in her arms, and she was running.

Ace jolted awake. He could feel sweat drip down his back as he remembered the phantom touch of the flames. He wasn't afraid of fire, but this nightmare scared him. It made him relive Dadan, himself, and Luffy almost dying. It also made him remember how Sabo had died shortly after. Years ago already, but he could remember it like it were yesterday.

Ace lay back down, and closed his eyes. Today was they day that they left. He'd been planning to go on his own, but Luffy had pointed out that he'd need to use a compass, and a map, neither of which he could use. So Ace had relented. Luffy had told him that they'd be an alliance, since both were going to be the captain. That had made Ace laugh, so he'd rolled with it.

Ace heard birds chirping, and figured that it was late enough that he could get up without bothering anyone too much. He'd let Lu sleep in a bit though. They were already packed after all. He quietly got out of bed, and walked across their room, and out the door. He could sense Dadan in the kitchen, so he went to her. He moved quickly, and entered the kitchen, wishing the woman, who was as close to his mother as anyone, a good morning.

Dadan jumped, "GO-er, Portgas D Ace you damn near gave me a heart attack, shitty brat." She said.

Ace grinned unrepentantly. He'd noticed how she'd started using his mother's last name for him again. They'd talked about it, and had decided that it was safer for him to sale under Portgas until he was sure of himself, and had a crew that he trusted. It wouldn't do to paint a target on his back so soon, after all.

Dadan snorted at him, but started a huge "going away" breakfast for him and Lu. He could hear her sniffling, but didn't comment. The woman didn't want people to know that she was emotional, and caring. Of course, that meant that everyone knew. Bandits were worse than old women for gossip.

Food was about done before Luffy came down the stairs. He was carrying both of their bags, if the noise he was making was any indication. Ace snorted, but smiled at his brother as they had their last meal with their sort-of-family.

*^*^*^ Time Skip^*^*^*

Luffy hummed as he looked at the map, and then the compass. He was really glad that Ace had forced him to go to school every day, and even gotten Sabo to tutor him. Sabo had also helped Luffy with his navigation skills. Not that Luffy was an expert or anything, in fact, he was merely mediocre at best, but it was better than what Ace could do, so Luffy rolled with it. They'd been traveling for a few months, and they were just about to Logue Town. Luffy was excited.

Ace didn't admit it, but he was excited too. He was going to the town where his father was born, and had died. They'd managed to avoid too much attention. Ace didn't want Luffy to get a bounty yet, especially since the kid was determined to go back to Dawn Island, and leave from there on his seventeenth birthday, in order to start his own crew. Ace had huffed, and muttered, but ultimately gave in because it would make Lu happy.

An hour passed before they finally landed at Logue Town. It was bustling, and Ace had a hard time using his clicking at first, but he adjusted quickly, and soon was leading Luffy through the throngs of people. The first thing they did was stock up on supplies, and then ask around a bit about the Grand Line. They learned about Log Poses, and made sure to buy a really good quality one. They got some new clothes as well, Luffy had just had a growth spurt.

On their way back to the ship, Ace and Luffy were jostled by the crowd, and they ran into someone. Ace had the wind knocked out of him as his toned body smacked into another man's. He could feel flesh, and concluded that the man wasn't wearing a shirt, even though Ace could feel a jacket. The man smelled of smoke, and had a gruff voice when talking. "Are you alright kid?" the man asked.

Ace took a small step back, and focused his unseeing eyes on the voice, "Don't worry about it, um…" He moved his head around, and tried to sense Luffy, but there were too many people. "Can you see the boy I was with? He's wearing a vest, and shorts, and a straw hat." Ace said. He could hear the slight panic in his voice, but couldn't help it. He'd never been unable to sense Lu before. He'd done just fine earlier.

Smoker looked at the boy in front of him. The kid had looked him in the eye, and had seemed to focus on him, but the kid couldn't see the boy he was looking for, sleeping at his feet. "Calm down kid. He's asleep by your feet." He watched as the kid reached down to pick the boy up, and then turned and looked Smoker in the eye again. "What's your name kid?" Smoker asked.

"Portgas D Ace. You?" Ace asked.

"The name's Smoker. You should get home now. It'll be dark soon, I'll walk you since your eyes are currently sleeping." Smoker said. He was surprised when the kid grinned at him.

"He is not my eyes. We are from a small town, and I had never experienced trying to sense his presence when he was sleeping while surrounded by so many people. When asleep his presence dims quite a bit." Ace told the man.

Smoker watched as they walked and talked. Every now and then Ace would give a click, and then avoid something. Smoker was amazed by how self-sufficient the kid was, but found himself grown worried as they came to the harbor. "Wake up Lu." Ace said, and dropped the boy he was carrying. Smoker watched as the boy woke up before he hit the ground.

Smoker found himself face to face with slender young man who couldn't be older than fourteen. The kid, Lu he thought, looked at him with a huge grin and big brown eyes, "Hiya Mr. Marine Guy!" the kid said. "Do you know my grandpa his name is Ga-" a hand clamping over Luffy's mouth stopped him from continuing.

"Luffy, what have Makino, Dadan, and I always told you about giving information out to strangers, no matter how official they may seem?" Ace asked. He removed his hand from Lu's mouth, but ran his finger tips over the kid's face, his expression was sheepish.

"Sorry Ace…" Luffy pouted. He got into the boat, and waved goodbye to the white haired marine.

"Well, thank you for walking us to our ship Smoker. It was nice, finally being able to feel this city." Ace said, and bowed to Smoker, before getting into the boat, and setting sail.

As Smoker watched them sail away, he had a nagging feeling that he hadn't seen the last of them, but the thoughts were soon lost as he heard screams of pirate. Smoke poured from his body, and he went off to do his job.


	3. Chapter 3

Navigating the Grand Line had turned out to be pretty simple, a lot better than the people in Logue Town, and the first few islands in the Grand Line, had told them. Luffy was really excited as they entered into Sabaody Archipelago. They docked by a bar that Ace had been told about, by Garp of all people. "Luffy stay in the boat. No matter what, stay in the cabin, and don't come out. If you want to start fresh when you turn seventeen, you can't get a bounty now, and being seen with me here is a good way to get one." Ace said, and Luffy understood. He agreed to do as Ace had asked him, and went into the cabin. Ace was really glad that his little brother had learned patience.

He waited until he heard the door close before jumping on to the dock, and heading towards the bar. His clicking revealed it to be a small building. It felt alright, so he opened the door and entered. There were only two people in the bar, and he could feel them watching him as he clicked his way through the bar, avoiding chairs and tables.

He came to a stop in front of the two, and bowed, "Hello. I am Portgas D Ace, and my grandfather, Vice Admiral Garp told me to come here for a coating for my ship." He said, then stood up straight, and waited. The person on his left stood up, and moved a bit closer.

"Your mother was Rouge?" a masculine voice asked. Ace nodded. "I'm Silvers Raleigh. Pleasure to meet you Ace. I knew your parents." The man said. Ace turned fully towards him, and held out his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you sir." He said as Raleigh shook his hand. He found it hard to believe that he was meeting his dad's first mate.

"You said that Garp sent you? If he sent you to me, then you are a pirate. This theory is supplied by your really high bounty." Raleigh said.

Ace nodded, "Yes, but um… My brother is with me. He is my, er… temporary navigator. He plans to leave back to home when he turns seventeen, that way he can form his own crew. How fast can you do this, if you are willing to take the job? We want to avoid him getting a bounty, but he finds trouble." Ace explained.

Raleigh looked at the man in front of him. He looked so much like Roger, but he had Rouge's freckles. "Your brother?" he inquired.

"Monkey D Luffy." Ace supplied.

Raleigh looked at him in surprise, "Really? Hm." He said.

Ace frowned, and reached his hands out, but stopped short, and started to pull them back. Raleigh just caught his hands and placed them on his face. He'd dealt with blind people before, and though not all of them did this, he knew enough who did to make him understand what the kid had been about to do.

Ace drifted his fingertips over Raleigh's face, and made sure not to smudge the man's glasses. His expression felt as though he were amused by something. Ace pulled his fingers back, "What is it? What is amusing you so much about my brother?" he asked.

Raleigh chuckled, "I have heard the name before. One of the cabin boys on your dad's ship met him, and passed on Roger's legacy to him. Told me all about him when he passed through. Shanks is mighty proud of your brother, you know. Loves him like a son." Raleigh said.

Ace smiled, "Ah, Shanks. I have to find him when I get to the New World. I need to thank him for saving Luffy." He said.

Raleigh laughed, "He'd like that, especially if you brought his "anchor". Tell you what. I'll do your coating for free, let's consider it a birthday present to make up for all the birthday's I've missed so far, and I'll also give you a piece of Shanks' vivre card so that you can find him. He moves around a lot." Raleigh said.

Ace's eyes widened, and then he smiled a huge smile, and Raleigh felt a pang of nostalgia go through him, as the kid enthusiastically agreed. Raleigh sent Shakky to go get the vivre card piece, and went himself to coat the ship. He even managed to resist sneaking a peak at the sleeping Monkey. That mystery would wait for another day, a day when the kid had brought himself here following his own dream.

^*^*^* Time Skip*^*^*^

They surfaced after leaving Fishman Island. They hadn't stayed, or even really docked. Ace had gone, and gotten supplies while Luffy slept. Now they were in an interesting place, and Luffy had a new Log Pose to mess with, but first they were following Shanks vivre card. Luffy hadn't stopped smiling since he'd heard where they were headed next.

It turned out that Shanks wasn't too far from the entrance to the New World. Ace and Luffy found them on a small winter island, they were ensconced in a cave, high up in a mountain. That had been an interesting adventure for Ace. He'd never climbed a mountain before. He couldn't help the giggle that escaped him when they finally finished climbing. Luffy smiled as he heard Ace's laughter ring out. It was the best sound Luffy had ever heard. He climbed the rest of the way over the edge, and stood up beside his brother.

"Ready Ace?" Luffy asked. Ace nodded, and led his brother into the cavern where he could sense many presences. "It's dark Ace." Luffy said, Ace hummed in acknowledgment, but didn't say anything else. He reached a hand back, and grasped Luffy's. As they moved farther into the cavern, following the narrow passageway, Ace felt the air become warmer. He could hear people's voices, and he followed them, following them, and his clicks.

Luffy saw a light getting closer, and he tried to see around Ace, but his brother was taller, and broader than him, so it didn't work. He could hear laughter, and smell food. It made his stomach gurgle.

"Who're you?" called out a voice as Ace stepped into a wide chamber.

"Which one of you is Akagami no Shanks?" he asked.

He sensed a presence stand up, and turned his head toward it. "That would be me. What do you want?" he asked.

Shanks looked at the black haired teen who was staring at him with an intense gaze. The freckles were cute, he mused. Suddenly his gaze was drawn by a head that popped out from behind the tall teen. "Luffy!" Shanks said smiling. He was happy to see that his anchor was still wearing his hat. The kid had to be about fourteen now.

Ace felt Lu duck to the side, and he sighed, tilting his head towards his little brother, "Lu, what did I say?" he asked.

"Tah let you talk to him first. Sorry Ace." He said, and ducked back behind his brother.

Ace rolled his eyes, "No point in ducking behind me now. He's already seen you." He pulled Luffy beside him, and pushed his head down as he bowed to the man. "Thank you very much for saving my little brother's life. Oh, and my name is Por-" Luffy elbowed him. Ace cleared his throat, "I mean my name is Gol D Ace." He said. He stood up straight and bonked Luffy on the head. "Don't elbow me next time. You could have just waited until after I'd said the name Garp told me to sail under." He said.

Luffy snickered, even as he rubbed his head. Ace had used Haki.

Sniffles rang out through the air, and Ace turned his head toward the sound, and felt a presence move toward him seconds before a body collided with his, and arms wrapped around him. Ace stiffened, and tried to figure out who was crying on him. "Luffy! Who is this?" he asked as he struggled a bit. The person was definitely male, and he smelled of booze and cinnamon. Ace's mind registered that it was a bizarre combination.

The man pulled back a bit, "You can't see?" he asked. Ace recognized the voice as Shanks, he finally calmed down and stopped struggling.

"No. I've been blind for as long as I can remember." He said.

Shanks hugged him again, "I'm so sorry! I didn't know. I was overcome by emotion at meeting my captain's son. Luffy wears his hat you know." Shanks said.

Ace didn't say anything, just gave the still sobbing man a hug. Luffy joined in the hug and soon Ace found himself surrounded by a huge group hug that included the older man's crew. With a sigh, he dropped his head.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I have been studying for midterms.**

Ace smiled as he felt the sea spray hit his face. His face was warmed by the sun as they headed toward the island where he had heard the Shichibukai Jinbei was. He'd fight with Jinbei, and get closer to his goal. He couldn't keep the smile off of his face as they drew close to the shore. He could hear the wave's crash against the shore. "Ace what do you want me to do when we dock?" Luffy asked. He always asked, because Ace knew best when Luffy needed to hide in order to keep himself from gaining a bounty.

Ace turned his blind eyes to Luffy, and thought about it. "I hear that he is friends with Shirohige, so it should be fine for you to watch the fight, but stay out of the way. I don't want you hurt." He said. He grinned when he heard Luffy cheer. His little brother loved to watch him fight. The damned brat got better every time he watched a fight too.

When they reached the island, he waited patiently for Luffy to drop the anchor, and then he jumped off, onto the shore. He heard Luffy jump off after him, and waited for him to catch his balance, before they moved inland. Luffy was his eyes. They'd been told the description for the place where Jinbei stayed, but that wasn't much help to Ace. They moved farther in, when suddenly Luffy grabbed Ace's hand, and pulled him along. Ace suddenly felt a powerful presence, and found himself wondering why he hadn't sensed it before.

He frowned, he had dropped his guard, why? He shook his head, he didn't have time to think about it right now. He would do better to concentrate on what he had come here to do. He felt Luffy stop, and stopped as well so that he wouldn't run into his brother, and knock him over. Luffy was thin, and shorter than him after all.

"Ace. There is a really cool looking guy in front of us. He has big sharp teeth like that tiger. Remember how those felt?" Luffy whispered. Ace smiled. Luffy always tried to make what he saw easy for Ace to understand. He often wondered if it was awkward for Luffy to talk to him, but he never asked. He was afraid that Luffy would say yes.

"Who are you two, and why are you on this island?" a voice boomed.

Ace turned his sightless gaze towards the sound, "Are you Jinbei? Friend of Whitebeard?" Ace asked, and moved Luffy behind him, a silent signal for Lu to get out of the way.

"I am." The voice called, "What do you want of me?"

Ace smiled, and bowed, "I request a fight with you. I wish to challenge Whitebeard, and I heard that you would know where he is." Ace said. He heard a gruff sound, and frowned, not understanding what the sound meant.

"Very well. But I will tell you now, you are not strong enough to take Whitebeard's head. At your current level, I doubt that you could take even the weakest commander, though I have no doubt that you could beat the crew." Jinbei said. The Whale Shark Fishman looked at the freckle faced kid in front of him, and saw how his dark eyes followed him. Something was off about the kid, but he didn't know what it was. He slid into stance, and watched as the kid did his own stance. He could also see the younger kid who had accompanied the elder. That kid had gone a safe distance away, and was watching them avidly, his eyes glued to the freckled man.

Jinbei frowned, what were two kids doing sailing these harsh waters? He'd seen the wanted poster for the older one, Ace. But he had no idea who the younger one was. He'd never seen a poster of him, nor heard any rumors of a straw-hat wearing young boy in the New World. The hat, however, seemed very familiar to him, and he wondered where he had seen it before. He didn't tell the two boys that Whitebeard was already on his way to the island, and would arrive in three days. They would find out if they stayed long enough.

Ace felt the stillness in the man. He was strong, but Ace figured that he was at about the same level as Ace, himself, was. Ace had no doubt that the man had spoken the truth. Jinbei was known as an honest man. Ace called behind himself, "Lu, stay out of the way. I don't want you hurt." He said.

Jinbei smiled, the man in front of him was honorable. Whitebeard would like him. "Come then. Let us start." The Fishman said. He gathered water from the air, and threw a jet of it towards the young man. He watched as the young man closed his eyes, and didn't move until the water was mere inches from his head, and then he was gone, appearing two feet away from Jinbei. The Fishman noticed a pipe in his hand almost too late. He brought his hand up to block it, and threw a punch at the young man's ribs. It was blocked by a swift motion of the other man's pipe.

Jinbei frowned, the young man's eyes hadn't moved from Jinbei's face when he'd blocked the punch. Something was really bothering him about the young man, but he couldn't place it.

Luffy watched as the two fought. It was a good fight. He watched the blue man's fighting style, and started copying the motions. As he did, he noticed something strange. Water was flowing with his movements, shooting out when he punched. He was amazed. He kept his motions small so as not to disturb the duel. He added in some of Ace's fighting techniques, and his own. He enjoyed working the water, and wondered if he liked it because he couldn't swim. He shrugged, it didn't matter. He paused to take a break.

This cycle went on for three days, but the duel never stopped until finally both combatants collapsed, but Luffy knew that Ace had won because Ace had remained standing for two full minutes after the blue guy had fallen.

Luffy trotted over to the two prone forms, and squatted by his brother so he could pat his back. "You won Ace!" Luffy said happily. Ace gave a tired chuckle.

The Earth felt nice and cool against his flushed cheek. "Barely Lu." He said. He closed his unseeing eyes, maybe he'd rest for a bit. His eyes snapped open, all thoughts of rest one from his mind as he felt a large amount of people, most strong, but only fifteen felt stronger than him. He pushed himself up and got into a stance, "Luffy get back." He said. He couldn't stop darting his eyes, and moving his head. He frowned, he'd known Jinbei was telling the truth, but he hadn't thought that the difference would be so big.

"Who is the man challenging me?" a loud voice boomed. Ace focused on it and felt a really strong presence move towards him. He could feel the Earth tremble as the man jumped down from his ship.

Ace felt Lu move out of the way, over towards the fallen Jimbei. Good, he'd be safe there. He faced the man, then suddenly, a heavy feeling settled in and he fell unconscious.

Whitebeard watched as the freckle faced man fell over, and became unconscious. The black haired boy by Jimbei was at his side in a second and was glaring fiercely at them, his teeth bared. One of Whitebeard's weaker sons moved over to the two boys and made to pick the unconscious one up, but was stopped by a blast of water. Whitebeard watched as the kid took out crew member after crew member using a combination of fishman karate, staff technique, and bare knuckle brawling. The brat was strong. Whitebeard wondered where the kid had learned Fishman karate, he seemed rather proficient in it.

He stopped his sons and looked at the boy with the straw hat. He smiled, he knew that hat, "Where did you learn Fishman Karate, brat?" he asked.

"Learn what?" Luffy asked, confused.

"The fighting with water thing." Whitebeard explained.

Luffy grinned, "Oh! I learned that by copying the moves that the old blue guy used against Ace while they fought for the past three days! Isn't it cool?! I'm a Rubberman so I haven't been able to play in water in years! It wasn't so bad back home in East Blue, except when I fell in the water, and because I couldn't swim, the crocodiles ate me, and Ace had to save me. Hahahaha!" Luffy laughed.

Whitebeard found himself astounded, the kid was this strong at such a hard fighting style, and he had taught himself by watching a master for only 3 days? "Amazing." He said. He could see why Shanks had given Roger's hat to the kid. "Why don't you join my crew? Become my son? You and your brother." Whitebeard said.

Luffy crossed his hands in a big x in front of him, "No way! I can't join another pirate's crew! I'm going to be king of the pirates! Ace told me that if I get a bounty before I go back to East Blue to set sail on my own pirate journey, it is cheating!" he explained, "But, I can't answer for Ace. He seems to really want to fight you."

Whitebeard nodded, "Let us get on my ship. We will treat your brother, and Jinbei, and we will talk in my room." He said.

Luffy perked up, "You can help Ace?" he asked, then paused, "Will there be food?" he asked.

Whitebeard laughed and motioned Thatch forward, "Thatch here is our cook. He will feed you. Your brother and Jinbei will be taken to the sick bay." He said.

Luffy nodded, "Okay." He said, then picked up his larger brother with ease. Whitebeard nodded, and turned, leading the way onto the ship.


	5. Chapter 5

Luffy ran around the deck of the ship, mad giggling passing from his lips. Whitebeard watched this in amusement. The kid had been just fine, eating enough for twenty men, and then suddenly he spazzed out and started the running and giggling. Whitebeard saw Thatch running towards him, a guilty look on his face. "I'm so sorry Oyaji! I didn't think one piece of candy would do this to him!" he said.

Whitebeard just laughed and got Luffy's attention. "Come here brat. We have business to talk about." He said.

Luffy ran over to him, and jumped onto Whitebeard's lap. "I'm listening." He said. He wiggled a bit, too much energy.

"So. I propose that you join my crew until the time when you leave to form your own. That way we could keep you from getting a bounty easier than if it's just you and your brother. We would also feed you lots of good food. Besides, you could learn more about the water fighting, and see some more of the New World." Whitebeard said. He watched the kid's expression. The boy looked interested.

Luffy thought about it. It sounded good, but he'd have to talk to Ace. "It would be three years, and I'll only agree if Ace agrees. He can't sail alone." Luffy said, then he passed out. Whitebeard looked down at the sleeping kid sprawled out on his leg, snoring without care. His mind thought over what the boy had said. Why couldn't his brother sale alone? He hadn't noticed anything that would prohibit the man from being alone, but he didn't know everything.

Down in sick bay Ace woke up, and reached out his senses, and tried to find Lu, but couldn't find him. So he was either sleeping or he wasn't where ever Ace was. He could feel rolling beneath him, so he knew that he was on a ship, but it wasn't his. He sat up and started clicking. He moved quickly through the ship, until he got on deck. He clicked as he walked around the deck. Finally he moved towards the immensely strong presence he could feel.

He stopped at the base of what sounded like a large chair. He tried to sense Luffy again, and he looked around, but he couldn't find him. He frowned, a small sound of frustration escaped him.

Whitebeard watched as the freckled boy looked around for something, and couldn't seem to find it. "What are you looking for?" he asked the freckle faced man.

Ace sighed, and turned to face Whitebeard, his blind eyes automatically going to where the voice had come from, "My brother. Where is he?" Ace asked. "Either he's not on this ship, or he is sleeping. I can't sense him when he is sleeping and around strong presences." He explained.

Whitebeard suddenly understood what Luffy had been talking about earlier. The boy was blind. He couldn't navigate on his own. "He's sleeping on my lap. We were having a business talk and he fell asleep." Whitebeard said.

Ace clicked his way over to Whitebeard's leg, and climbed up. He sat down and turned his attention towards the man's face. "What were you discussing?" he asked. He wondered how this encounter might have gone if he still hated his father. He probably would have tried to kill the old man. He knew himself, after all. It wasn't that he trusted the man, but he didn't hate him on principle at least.

He sat patiently and listened to Whitebeard. It was an interesting proposal, but he didn't know if he should take it. He heard Luffy waking up. And he turned towards the sound. "Luffy. What do you think of the old man's proposal?" he asked.

Luffy stretched and yawned. He looked at his brother, and smiled, even though the man couldn't see him. "I think that it is a good idea. Then I would be okay with leaving you in three years when I start my own adventure. Plus, the old man said that he could keep me from getting a bounty. I believe him." Luffy said, then stretched his hands toward his brother, and shot himself into his arms.

Ace smiled slightly, and hugged him. He knew that Lu was a good judge of character, so he turned to Whitebeard, "I'll take your deal." He said, "And I'll become your son, but there is something that I need to tell you first."

Luffy ran his fingers through Ace's hair in a calming manner.

Whitebeard watched as the two brothers interacted. It was sweet, and he just knew that these two were going to fit in with his other sons, no matter what Ace had to say. He watched as Ace closed his eyes, and blew out a breath. "I'm Gol D Roger's son." Ace said quietly.

Whitebeard nodded, that's exactly what he'd thou- what? He stared at the freckled boy, "Really? Hm, so the brat had a child after all. Well, welcome to the family son. You too brat." He said.

Luffy grinned, "I'll only be your son for three years." He said. Whitebeard laughed, and Ace did too. He had accepted his father, but it was great that this man had as well. "Well… now that that's all figured out. Ace! I learned that water fighting from the fish guy! You learned it too right?" Luffy said.

Ace nodded, "Yeah. When he used it, the energy around me did weird things. I figured I'd pay extra close attention. I haven't had a chance to actually try it out in order to see if I can do it." He said. He knew how the motions worked, and he knew how the energy built up, but he knew that it took more than mechanical knowledge to fight. He jumped off of Whitebeard's lap, and Lu followed.

Whitebeard was busy watching them when Jinbei stepped beside him, "Where did they learn that?" he asked the Yonko.

"From you." The old man said simply.

The fishman looked up at the old man in surprise, "What? But we only met three days ago, and I didn't teach, I fought." The Shichibukai said.

Whitebeard laughed, "Those two are something, but that blind one is something else entirely. He is blind, but much stronger than his brother. His brother even has a devil fruit! Give them a bit and I have no doubt that they will become stronger than us." He said.

Jinbei couldn't say anything. The blind boy was already stronger than him.


	6. Chapter 6

Ace woke up in a cold sweat. He couldn't believe he'd had that dream again. It was ridiculous. Fire had almost killed him, but he hadn't died. He'd thought that he'd gotten over it, but something today had triggered the nightmare. He couldn't explain to others about his nightmares. He couldn't explain adequately about how his nightmares were feelings and sounds. He could feel the heat of the fire, could feel it licking at his skin, and eating away at his flesh. People who could see just couldn't fathom a dream without pictures.

Ace moved carefully so as not to wake up Luffy. He walked silently through the ship, and made his way to the galley. He and Luffy had been on board the Moby Dick for a day. Everyone had been very welcoming, but there was one guy that neither he nor Lu liked. His presence was dark, and his laughter was edge-setting.

Ace entered the galley and grabbed a cup of water. It felt wonderfully cool going down his throat. He closed his eyes and a small sound of appreciation escaped him. He finished his drink and then exited the galley. He thought about making his way back to the room where he'd left Lu, but instead he turned at walked to the smooth whale head figure at the prow of the ship. He sat down close to the edge, and lay on his back. He enjoyed the idea of looking up at the stars, even though he couldn't see them. It was an activity that he'd always done with Luffy. His brother was always ready to tell him about what he saw.

Ace felt someone move to stand beside him. The presence was strong, he wondered if the sensation "bright" was like this. It was overpowering, and yet soothing. It felt warm, and he just wanted to stay by it. He'd felt the presence around him throughout the day, but he hadn't learned the name of the person. He moved his eyes up to the person. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Marco yoi." The presence said. "May I sit next to you?" he asked.

Ace motioned to a spot beside him, and he heard the person sit. "You feel different than the others on the ship." Ace said.

He heard a chuckle, "That is probably because of my devil fruit yoi. I am a Phoenix." Marco said.

Ace sat up, and held a hand out towards Marco, and just held it there.

Marco looked at the kid who was holding a hand out. He knew the kid was blind, so he had an idea what he was doing. He leaned his face into Ace's hand, and the kid's fingers instantly started moving. "Will you show me your Phoenix form?" Ace asked quietly.

Marco was a bit surprised at the request, but he smiled, "Sure." He changed, and felt the blue fire cover his body, and his wings spread.

Ace felt the man's body shift, and a sharp beak replace the man's soft lips, and his skin was soon covered by feathers, but the feathers weren't like normal feathers. The seemed to slightly flow up his hands, and arms. They seemed to almost caress him. "What are your feathers made of Marco?" Ace asked, curiosity extremely evident in his voice.

Ace wasn't sure if the words were actually spoken aloud, but suddenly they were there, brushing against his skin, "Fire." Ace felt elation flood his senses. He wasn't afraid, rather, he was drawn closer. "Do you want to fly?" the words were there, brushing over his nerve endings.

"May I?" Ace asked, his hands stroking down the soft plumage of the creature in front of him. Marco just swept his wing around Ace, coaxing him on. Ace didn't need to be told twice. He lifted himself onto Marco's back, and held on tight, careful not to hurt the man.

Marco felt touched by how gentle the kid was being. It was rather wonderful as he'd had no idea what to expect. He'd never let anyone ride him before, and he really couldn't explain what made him offer it, but he had. He waited until Ace was secure, and then he lifted off. He was surprised by how little extra work he had to put into flight. He had thought that flying with another on his back would be much harder.

Ace felt the jolt as they lifted off, and then he was weightless. Wind rushed passed his face, and stung his eyes. He closed them, and smiled. The ocean smelled like home, and it was all around him. He could almost imagine that he and Marco were swimming, even though he knew that Marco couldn't swim. No one with a devil fruit could.

He pushed his head down into the soft feathers of the Phoenix, and let them tickle his skin. "Thank you." He whispered.

Marco heard the soft words, and warmth spread through him. He was sure if a bird could blush, he'd be doing it. It was a bit ridiculous as he never blushed. This boy was getting under his skin, and it was happening fast enough to scare him, but he didn't want it to stop. Just one day and the kid was making him happy. It was terrifying.

"I'm going to fly in a loop. Hold on tightly." Marco's voice brushed over him. Ace wrapped his legs around the Phoenix, making sure not to constrict his wings, and then he was upside down, his stomach rolling giddily, making him giggle. He could feel his body lift slightly off of Marco's, only to slam back down when the loop had finished. He was full blown laughing by that time, and the sound of it made Marco smile inside.

They flew around the ship a few more times, up and down, more loops, and some barrel rolls before landing. Ace slid off, and Marco shifted back only to find himself with an armful of Ace. His arms automatically went around the male, catching him.

Ace hugged Marco, "Thank you for that. It was probably the best experience of my life." He said. Marco's bare chest was warm against his cheek, and he smelled of smoke and mint. It was pleasant. He shivered suddenly, and realized that it was chilly out. He'd been so busy having fun that he hadn't noticed until he'd felt how warm Marco was. He pulled away and smiled up at the man.

Marco felt the boy pull away shivering, and realized that he was probably cold. If Marco was being honest, he was cold too after being deprived of Ace's warmth. The kid smelled of cinnamon, and rain. It was the weirdest combination that Marco had ever smelled, but it made his blood burn.

"Tomorrow I'm getting my tattoo. Would you be there with me? Izou said that it is best to have someone with me when getting the tattoo where I am. I don't want Luffy to see me in pain." Ace's voice suddenly rang out in the silence of the night.

Marco started to nod, then remembered that Ace couldn't see, "Of course. Now, it's late, and you should get some sleep. Getting a tattoo can be exhausting." He said, smiling.

Ace reached out his fingers, and they drifted across Marco's face, shaping it, learning it, before drifting up to his hair, and feeling how it was cut, then they drifted down to his neck, before leaving his skin. He could hear Marco's sped up breath, and realized that his own was rather fast as well. He felt his face heat up, and quickly turned away. "Good night Marco. I'll see you tomorrow."

Marco watched him go, and tried to will away the red that was staining his cheeks.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long.**

Ace woke up to Luffy jumping on his stomach, "Oof!" he grunted. "Lu! Get off me." He wheezed in-between bounces. Luffy just giggled maniacally. Ace pushed Luffy off of him, and frowned, "Did you eat sugar Lu?" he asked as he stood up and pulled a pair of shorts on.

Luffy didn't answer, instead he started bouncing off of the walls all while giggling non-stop. Ace sighed and finished putting on his accessories. The last thing he put on was his favorite hat. Luffy had given it to him after all, he always wore it. He'd just finished adjusting it when Luffy jumped on his back. Ace sighed again, but left his brother. He'd have to hunt down Thatch (he was pretty sure the cook was the culprit) and have him take care of Lu. Ace couldn't do it, because he was getting his tattoo today. He was expecting it to take a long time, his arm tattoo had taken several hours, and it was quite a bit smaller than the one he was getting today.

He gripped his hands beneath Luffy's butt so that the sugar highed kid didn't fall off and hurt himself, then he set off to the kitchen. Ace found himself glad that he had memorized the path to the kitchen, he couldn't use his echolocation with Luffy giggling in his ears.

Fortunately no one had moved anything around between his room and the mess hall, unfortunately, the mess hall was in utter chaos, and he couldn't see to avoid it. He hadn't taken even one step into the room when something hit his feet, sending him stumbling. He couldn't use his hands to catch himself because it would mean dropping Luffy. He managed to catch himself before he hit anything, but he didn't have that luck the second time. He felt himself speeding towards the ground, and braced himself for impact, only to find himself wrapped in strong arms.

He inhaled, and smelled smoke and mint. "Marco." He said, his words whispering out of his mouth before he could stop them.

Marco looked down at the black haired kid held in his arms. He also saw a giggling kid on his back. It clicked. He helped Ace stand up, and glared around the room. It instantly got quiet, and everyone moved out of Ace's way. In fact, the entire mess hall was cleaned up in three seconds flat. Marco led Ace over to a table. "Hand me your brother. Thatch can take care of him." He said.

Ace turned his head towards Marco and smiled, "You'll have to pry him off." He said, humor coloring his voice. Marco chuckled, the sound low and smooth. His fingers whispered along the smooth skin of Ace's neck as he pulled an octopus like Luffy off of Ace.

"No! Bad blue chicken!" Luffy screamed at the top of his lungs. Ace blushed. Why was his little brother so stupid…

Marco rolled his eyes but didn't say anything, instead he pried the rubber boy off quickly and picked him up. He carried him quickly to Thatch. "Heya Marco. What's wrong with the little guy?" Thatch asked. It was odd for Marco to carry anyone.

"Someone gave Luffy sugar. Ace is getting his tattoo today, so you are watching the kid who literally bounces off of walls." Marco said, and pried the rubber boy off of himself, and thrust him at the cook. Thatch bobbled the kid in his surprise, but managed to right himself before he dropped him.

Marco didn't bother saying anything else, he just walked away. He moved quickly back to Ace. He wasn't sure if he'd have gone to get food or not. Without Luffy screaming in his ears he'd be able to use his echolocation after all. When he got there though, he saw that the other crew mates had felt bad about tripping their newest brother, and had brought him food. Marco sat next to Ace, and the freckled teen smiled at him. "Thank you Marco." He said.

"So when do you get your tattoo?" Marco asked.

"As soon as I'm done eating." Ace answered.

…

Ace lay down on the tattoo chair and closed his eyes. He wondered why he even had eyes since he couldn't see anything. He snorted briefly.

Marco looked over at Ace. The blind boy was intriguing to him. He was smart and strong, and had the most interesting sense of humor.

Ace reached out a hand and smiled when Marco grasped it, "Thank you for being here with me for this." He said. He was taking a huge step, and he still wasn't sure if it was the right decision. Luffy trusted these people though, and Lu was usually right. He released a breath as the needle pierced his skin. He kept his breaths slow and measured, and he let his eyes close.

Marco felt the cool fingers gripping his hand, and he squeezed back. He knew that the back was sensitive. He'd gotten his tattoo on his chest for a reason after all. "What are you going to do after you finish getting your mark?" Marco asked.

Ace smiled. "I thought that I'd hide from Luffy, I love him, but when he gets sugar in him, even the crocodiles on our home island run away. I don't know what I'm going to do though. There isn't much to do on this ship for fun when you can't see. I suppose I could find a quiet corner and train?" Ace finished to himself.

Marco listened, then frowned. Did they really not have much to do when you couldn't see? He'd never really thought about it before. "I have an idea. I've finished my work for the day. Why don't we find Jimbei, and have a training session. He can help you with the fishman karate, and I'll give you a sparring partner that you can't kill." Marco said.

Ace grinned, "I'd like that." He said. In the time that he and Luffy had been on the Moby Dick, no one had offered to spar with him. He figured it was because he was blind and they were afraid to hurt him. His smile widened, they'd learn.


	8. Chapter 8

Marco admired the deep purple ink the stained Ace's pale back. The lithe muscles rippled beneath the newly marked skin, and then it was covered by bandages. Marco had to resist the ridiculously strong urge to rip the bandages off so that he could see the inked skin. "How does it look?" Ace asked. His voice held a faint hint of worry. Normally he didn't think about how he looked to other people. It just didn't cross his mind, but this was Marco, and for some reason Marco was important.

"It is beautiful. Have you ever felt velvet?" Marco asked.

Ace was caught off guard by the seemingly random question, "Yes?" he said, though it sounded a bit like a question. He cleared his voice and spoke stronger, "Yes. I have."

"Think of that feeling. How that feels to you, rich and soft, is how Oyaji's mark on your back looks to me. Rich, soft, and pleasing." He said.

Ace grinned, "Good. I like velvet." He said.

Marco laughed, "So do I." he said, and his fingers brushed against the skin right above the bandages. Ace's skin was smooth, and softer than he had a right to have. "Come on, let's go find Jimbei." Marco said, and he opened the door for Ace. Ace smiled, and clicked his way out of the room.

Izou watched as Marco followed the other man. His painted lips smiled, he was happy for his oldest brother. Marco was probably the loneliest member of the Whitebeard pirates and allies, not that he'd admit to it. Izou hummed as he cleaned his work station. He'd have to watch those two closely. His crossdresser senses were tingling, budding love was in the air.

He finished putting his tools away, and stepped out of the room, only to have to dodge a speeding Luffy. He pressed a hand to his chest, he'd seen his life flash before his eyes. Suddenly Luffy skidded to a halt, and ended up going ass over teakettle. He quickly picked himself up, and rushed back to stand in front of Izou. "You're pretty!" Luffy giggled, and wrapped his arms around the crossdresser's waist.

Izou was shocked, he had no idea how to respond. Seriously, did the kid not have a brain to mouth filter? He saw Thatch running down the hall towards them. The man was out of breath, and his hair was flat, hanging down around his face in a way that was really flattering, in Izou's opinion.

"Stop running you damned brat!" Thatch growled out.

Luffy just giggled and hid behind Izou. Izou raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the teenager who acted like he was five. "What did you do to make Thatch angry Luffy?" he asked.

Luffy giggled again, "I didn't like his funny hair, so I pushed him into the water when he was sitting on the railing fishing."

Izou snorted, and looked at Thatch. Obviously the man had been chasing Luffy for a while, his hair was dry. "I agree, he does look better like this. Quite handsome." He said smiling.

Thatch blushed and looked away, mumbling about people ganging up on him. Izou smiled fondly. How he loved this man.

Thatch sighed, "I'm not mad anymore, so come here Luffy and I'll make you a snack." He said. Izou always took the angry out of him. He caught Luffy as he jumped up to wrap his arms around his neck. Izou watched as Thatch hurried away. Izou would have to work on getting that man to see what was right in front of him, namely, Izou. He sighed, and walked the opposite way, he had work to do.

…

Jimbei was enjoying the wonderfully sunny day. It was warm, and the see was calm, but there was enough of a breeze to keep the ship moving, and prevent them from overheating. He was tempted to jump into the sea, but he decided that he would stay on deck. He found himself wondering about the two brothers who had learned his fighting style in three days. They weren't masters by any means, but they were proficient enough to be labeled more than a beginner.

"Jimbei yoi." Marco's voice cut into his musings. "Ace and I would like you to spar with us yoi." Marco said, "Maybe you can teach him more?" he asked.

Jimbei looked at the two men in front of him. Ace was standing beside Marco, and they were standing closely. He could see their fingers brushing, seeming to tangle and untangle. Jimbei smiled jovially, "I would be happy to Marco-san." Jimbei said. He was happy to see Marco happy like this.

A huge smile broke out on Ace's face, "Thank you!" he said, and gave Jimbei a hug. Jimbei heard Marco snickering, but he was too preoccupied with the ecstatic blind kid that he was about to attack.

"You're welcome Ace-san. Now. Please, go back to Marco, and I will clear this portion of the deck so that we can train unhindered." Jimbei said. He was trying not to be rude, but he couldn't understand why Ace would be hugging him.

Ace let go of Jimbei, and retraced his steps walking backward to Marco. He misjudged a bit though, and his back hit Marco's chest. The Phoenix reached out to steady Ace, his hands landing on his hips. Neither noticed Jimbei leave to shoo the various people away to clear a sizeable section of the deck. The moment that Marco's skin had touched Ace's the rest of the world had fallen away. Ace turned around in Marco's grasp, and he lifted his hands to touch Marco's face.

He could feel the stubble on Marco's face. It was surprisingly soft. He drifted his fingers up over Marco's cheeks, feeling the dips and raises. Marco's eyes were closed, and Ace could feel the soft eyelashes that fell against the older man's skin. Ace was enveloped by the man's scent, and it made him feel warm.

Ace's breath caught in his throat. Marco was very aware of it. He was also very aware of the feather light touches, and their close proximity. Marco let out a shaky breath, his blood was racing. "Ace." Marco's voice was a husky whisper. He could feel Ace's fingers brush across his lips, and his face was tilted up towards him. Marco leaned down, Ace felt him do it. He could feel their lips getting closer, and his heart sped up in anticipation.

Their lips were centimeters apart when suddenly Ace was flying sideways, a rubbery body wrapped around him.

Marco watched dumbfounded as the man he'd been about to kiss went flying over the railing and into the ocean, his brother wrapped around his body. His body went into automatic, and he ran to the edge of the ship before he could process exactly what had happened. He peered down into the waters, and saw Ace swimming, keeping both himself and his brother afloat. He watched as Jimbei dived into the water so that he could grab them.

Marco snorted, and then he started laughing loudly. He could see the answering smile on Ace's face as the teen shrugged one shoulder.


	9. Chapter 9

Marco hit the deck with his back, his breath rushed out of him. He lifted his feet, and then jolted himself into a standing position. "Very good Ace-san! But you need to widen your stance. No not that wide. Shoulder width." Jinbei instructed. Ace changed his position and turned towards Marco again. Ace did the Shoulder Current Throw again. It was more powerful this time, and Marco had to dodge.

Jozu, who had been walking by, didn't have that chance, only instinct had his body turning to diamond, saving him from severe injury. Still he had to step back a few steps. There was silence, and Ace got nervous. "What happened?" he asked. He reached out with his senses. He could feel Lu practicing Fishman Karate to his left. He was having trouble with the Water Fist Technique. He kept stretching his fist so Jimbei was working with him on it, but the fishman had stopped moving. Marco was standing at where he'd dodged to, and Ace could feel the presence of someone he didn't know.

Marco was at his side in an instant, "Nothing. You just hit Jozu with your Current Throw. He's fine. He can turn into diamond, so he's not hurt." Marco said, brushing a hand out and brushing Ace's cheek. Ace leaned into the palm, and let out the breath he'd been holding since Marco had first mentioned that he'd hit a bystander.

He brushed Marco's hand with his own, before he started walking over to Jozu in order to apologize, only for Luffy's fist to come out of nowhere, and hit him between the shoulder blades. He went flying forward with a cry. His body hit another's, and he recognized it as the bystander, Jozu. In the time that it took them to fly over the railing he also realized that the body he hit wasn't hard like diamond, then they hit the water.

Ace felt Jozu instantly sink, and he swam down after him. He grabbed Jozu by whatever he could catch, in this case the back of the man's armor, and then swam up. It didn't take him long because he was a strong swimmer, but it still took long enough for him to worry about the devil fruit user. He broke the surface, and Jozu gasped a breath. Ace kept them afloat with one arm, and swam back towards the Moby Dick.

Ace suddenly felt Thatch diving off of the ship towards them. So he wasn't surprised when he heard a splash, and felt water hit his face. The cook surfaced next to him, and grabbed the other side of Jozu, "Come on Ace. Follow me. I'll lead the way to the raising platform." Thatch said. Ace hummed in agreement, and followed.

Together they lifted the large man onto the wooden platform, and climbed on themselves before the plank was lifted, and they got back on deck.

Ace hadn't even gotten both feet on the deck before Marco was pulling him into an embrace, and then lifting his shirt to see if Luffy's hit had hurt Ace. "That's going to bruise." He said. That was about the time that Ace found himself with an armful of crying Luffy.

"Shh Luffy. It's okay. No one was hurt. You just have to be a bit more careful. But I shouldn't have walked into your training path without letting you know that I was there. So don't cry anymore. Look, we'll go apologize together." Ace said, and set Luffy down. They walked hand in hand over to Jozu, and bowed low, "We are terribly sorry that we hit you while training, and accidently endangered your life Jozu-san." Ace said.

Luffy sniffled and nodded, showing that he was sorry too. Jozu just patted them on the head and said okay, before walking away. Ace could hear that Luffy was still sniffling so he kissed him on the top of his head. Luffy turned and moved into Ace's arms, holding on tightly. Marco watched it, and the sweetness of the scene made him smile.

Ace felt Marco watching them, so he held out a hand, and invited the man into their family moment. Marco felt humbled. He took Ace's hand, and was pulled into the hug. He wrapped his arms around both Ace and Luffy. Ace nuzzled Marco's shoulder as he felt calm wash over him. Luffy wrapped an arm around Marco as well, his tears stopping. He smiled to himself. Ace was happy. All Luffy had ever wanted for his brother was for him to be happy and to feel as though he had a reason to live. Luffy had a feeling that Marco could give him that better than Luffy ever could. "Ace?" Luffy asked.

"Yeah Lu?" Ace asked. He wondered what Luffy could possibly have a question about when they were having a family hug.

"I approve of the flaming blue chicken." Luffy said with a giggle.

Ace felt his face heat up, and he buried it in Marco's chest. Luffy giggled as he saw that, and full out laughed when he saw that Marco was blushing too. Marco cleared his throat, "Thanks Luffy, but why do you call me a flaming blue chicken?" he asked.

"Because I saw you turn into a chicken the first night we were here. And the chicken was blue, and on fire. At first I thought it was being cooked and I got hungry, then I realized that it was just you being a blue flaming chicken. Ahahaha. You ate a Chicken fruit!" Luffy laughed.

Marco could feel Ace chuckling against him, his body shaking with mirth. "I'm a Phoenix, not a chicken." He grumbled. He wasn't going to touch the fact that Luffy had thought he was food. That was just wrong.

Suddenly Luffy wiggled his way out of the hug, leaving only Ace and Marco embracing each other. "I'm gonna go play with Haruta!" he shouted and ran off giggling. Marco watched him go, and felt very confused.

He looked down at Ace who had his head still buried in Marco's chest. The teen was nuzzling his cheek against Marco's bare skin, and it felt wonderful. "Ace." Marco said, his voice low. Ace lifted his head, his expression quizzical. "I've been accepted." Marco said referring to Luffy's earlier comment.

Ace was confused for a second and then he grinned, "Yes you were. Why don't you take advantage of the fact?" he asked.

Marco smiled, "I'd love to." He said, and he leaned down, letting their lips meet. Marco brushed his lips softly against Ace's. The friction driving them both mad.

Ace opened his mouth to tell Marco to quit teasing him, and Marco took advantage. He sealed their lips together, and swept his tongue into Ace's mouth. Ace moaned. Marco tasted just as he smelled, and Ace couldn't tell which was better. He pressed in, trying to get closer to Marco, their bodies lining up flush. Marco's hands slid down to grip Ace's hips as he kissed him. Ace was inexperienced, but it was still the best kiss Marco had ever had. He felt his heart overflow with emotion, and he closed his eyes so that tears didn't spill over as well. He was happy, so happy. He didn't feel lonely anymore.


	10. Chapter 10

Luffy giggled as he chased around Stefan. The giant dog was barking at him, his tail wagging as they ran around. "You're right Steffan! You can chase me now." Luffy said. Steffan yowled happily, and turned on his heels to start chasing Luffy. The dog's moustache fluttered as he chased the fourteen year old. Oyaji laughed as he watched the two play. It amazed him how Luffy always seemed to know what animals were thinking. He'd asked Ace one time, but the kid had laughed and said that it was probably because Luffy was like an animal himself. Whitebeard had to agree. Luffy seemed to run mostly on instinct.

Whitebeard glanced over to where Ace was learning how to read something called Braille. Marco had picked up a How-To book on the last island they'd stopped on, and now they were both learning how to read it. Marco was learning so that he could teach Ace how to read.

Being blind, and living on a small island, Ace had never gotten to learn how to read. The boy hadn't even gone to school. Instead, all the schooling he'd had, had been taught to him by Luffy.

The large captain chuckled. Ace was smart as a whip. Whitebeard couldn't wait to see how he'd progress.

There was a thud as Steffan pounced on the Rubberman, and pinned him down so that he could lick his face. Luffy shrieked with laughter as he tried to escape, then he suddenly fell asleep. Steffan took that as a sign that he should sleep too. The dog flopped down on top of Luffy, and laid his head on the kid's chest.

Izou watched it all. He still couldn't get over the fact that Steffan had grown close to someone other than Oyaji and Marco. But both Luffy and Ace had gotten that honor as well. Izou turned away from the two sleeping animals, and settled his gaze on Thatch.

The cook was fishing again. It was his favorite activity. Izou smiled. Thatch had started leaving his hair down, simply pushing it back from his face. The man still put it in a pompadour more often than not, especially before they hit an island, but it made Izou hope for them. He moved over and sat on the railing by Thatch, and tugged on a strand of hair.

It amazed him how soft the man's hair was. "You look very nice today Thatch." Izou said.

Thatch felt his face turn red, and he looked down into the sea, "Thanks Izou." He mumbled. He felt nervous. Izou always made his heart beat fast. He didn't know what to do. He doubted that the Crossdresser would believe him if he just flat out said "I love you."

"What did you say?" Izou asked, his eyes wide. He'd been sitting happily with Thatch when suddenly the man had said the three words that he'd been longing to hear.

Shit! Thatch couldn't believe that he'd said that out loud. How stupid could he be? His face was incredibly red. He could feel it burning.

They sat in silence for a moment before Izou decided to take a chance, "I love you too, you know." He said. The words were said softly, but clearly.

Thatch turned so fast he probably got whiplash. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He looked shell shocked. His heart was beating so fast that he feared it would explode.

Izou rolled his eyes, and kissed the idiot. Thatch floundered a bit, and then he kissed back. 'Finally.' Izou thought. The man was still an idiot, but now he was Izou's idiot, and that was all that mattered.

Whitebeard looked over to where Thatch was fishing, and he smiled. It had taken his two Baka sons long enough. He turned back to look out over his deck happily. All was right with his world. He laughed softly.

Ace heard the laugh, and raised his head. Moments like this made him wish that he could see. Marco saw the expression on Ace's face, and he brushed a hand over his cheek, "He's laughing happily because Izou and Thatch finally kissed." He said.

Ace leaned into Marco's palm, and made an affirmative sound. He was glad that Luffy had trusted this crew. These had been some of the best weeks of his life. They had been fun. He'd joined in fights, and explored islands. Marco had shown him and Luffy around some of the more dangerous ones. He was learning how to read. He'd always wanted to, but he'd always thought that it was impossible. Ace smiled happily.

Marco felt Ace lean into him, and the weight got heavier, and heavier, until Ace fell with a thump into Marco's lap, soft snores coming from his partially open mouth. The Phoenix looked down in surprise before he smiled, and rolled his eyes.

It was a nice day, and Marco thought that a nap might be a good idea, but before he could a call came out that a strange ship was approaching fast. Marco carefully extricated himself from Ace, and he stood up, moving quickly to the railing of the Moby. He squinted, but couldn't see the ship clearly. He moved over to Oyaji's side. "Who do you think it is?" he asked.

Whitebeard looked out over the deck, his eyes stopping for a second on each of the sleeping brothers, "I can sense Garp, but the other one, I don't know. I've never met him before." He said. Marco latched onto the fact that Oyaji had mentioned only two people, his way of saying that they were strong.

"That means that lookout doesn't see one ship, or that Garp is coming with help." Marco said.

Oyaji laughed, "I would bet that it is the first option. Garp only really works well with Aokiji, and Sengoku. I would recognize them!" he said. Marco snorted, and rolled his eyes. Garp was definitely a card. His thoughts were interrupted by the look outs call that a second ship had appeared from behind the first.

Marco moved to the railing again and looked out. He could see the Marine ship, but the other was unmarked and he had no idea who it might be. He settled into a relaxed looking stance. He had this nagging feeling that something interesting was going to happen.


	11. Chapter 11

Marco reflected on how right his feelings were when two men asked for permission to board and Oyaji granted it. The appearance of Garp hadn't surprised him. Oyaji had sensed the man after all. What did surprise him though, was the appearance of the revolutionary leader, Dragon. His mind was boggled by the fact that the Moby Dick now had powerful representatives of the three factions of the world on one ship.

"Garp, Dragon, what brings you two here to my humble ship?" Whitebeard asked. He was intrigued, Garp coming aboard was nothing new. The man was the weirdest Marine that he'd ever met. Dragon, however, presented something of a conundrum.

Garp laughed loudly, "I came to beat some sense into my grandson, but seeing as he's asleep, I'll let it slide this one time. It can wait till we meet again." The old man laughed. Marco was surprised that the two brothers could sleep through it.

He heard Oyaji ask Garp who his grandson was, but he was too focused on watching Dragon approach the sleeping Luffy. He felt a coil inside him wind tightly, what did the man want with an innocent kid who didn't even have a bounty? Dragon leaned down and brushed his fingers over Luffy's face, moving his hair out of his eyes. There was a slight smile on the stern revolutionary's face. He looked…loving? Marco felt like he'd been hit by a ton of bricks as the realization crashed over him. He almost fell over when he heard Garp respond to Oyaji, "Monkey D Luffy and Portgas D Ace!" he said.

"What kind of family is that?" he asked.

"What do you mean Phoenix?" Garp asked with a glare.

"The hero of the navy, Garp "the fist", is the father of the most wanted man in the world, Dragon, who is the father of the kid who wants to be King of the Pirates? How does that happen in real life?" he asked.

Garp shoved a finger up his nose, and shrugged, "Who knows?"

Marco face palmed. He rolled his eyes and looked away from the man, and let his gaze land on Ace's sleeping form. A soft smile decorated his features, and it made Marco smile in return.

Garp watched the Phoenix smile lovingly at his sleeping grandson, and didn't know if he should be happy that Ace had found someone, or pissed that it was a pirate. He shrugged again, he'd decide later. He stood up, "I've got to go or Senny will get his knickers in a twist." He said, and just like that he was gone, and sailing away, leaving Dragon alone on the Moby.

Dragon sighed, "I am terribly sorry for my father. I actually came here to speak with you about an important matter." He said, and moved to stand in front of Whitebeard. "What do you think of my son?" he asked. His voice was very serious, and level.

Whitebeard found himself amazed by how different he was from his father and his son. "I think that he is strong. He is kind. He has huge dreams, and large names to back him up. I think he is essentially an animal. He reminds me very much of Roger. I think that he will change the world. I think that he is a wonderful son, and he fits in well here. I know that we will miss him when he leaves, but he will always have us. I believe that he will achieve his dream."

Dragon nodded. Nothing Whitebeard had said was surprising to him. He rubbed a hand over his face, "When he was born, his mother and I looked at him, and we saw Roger. It was in his smile. We were revolutionaries, and couldn't keep a baby with us. For one thing, any child of mine would be hunted down by the government, just like any child of Roger's." he said, his eyes settling on Ace for a second before returning to Whitebeard, "We left him with my father knowing he would protect him. Dad may not always go about things the right way, but his heart is there. We knew dad would probably take him to Dawn Island, and I thought that East Blue would be a safe place for him. And after that, we had no physical contact with him. I'd checkup when I could, but my face is very recognizable. However, what I did see gave me an inability to doubt that he would accomplish his dreams. Then he met Ace.

"Ace was a cold child, filled with anger, and hatred, most of it towards himself and his father. He tried to kill Luffy you know." Dragon said with a smile. "Luffy survived though, and he followed Ace until, somehow, they became friends. That was about the time that Luffy learned of Ace's heritage, as well as that he was blind. They became inseparable. Ace became another reason that Luffy would follow his dreams till death.

"He didn't need much encouraging though. The brat has never feared death. If he had, he and Ace would never have become friends." He said. There was a pause.

"Does all of this have a point?" Whitebeard asked. As much as he loved hearing about his sons, he wondered what was bringing all of this on in the feared revolutionary.

Dragon chuckled, "Ah, yes. My point is, Luffy accepted Ace as his family. You've seen how loyal he is to family. He has now accepted you and your crew to his family. You have his loyalty, and talking to you I can see that he has yours. I just wanted to ask that you be there if ever he needs anything. I can't be. I've never been much of a father to him anyways. I am asking if I can trust you with him."

Whitebeard looked down at the man who had given up everything to fight for a better world, and he smiled, "Of course. He is my son now. There is nothing we wouldn't do to protect him." He said laughing.

Dragon nodded, and turned to leave, but Oyaji's voice made him pause, "You're wrong you know. You have been a father to him, even though he didn't know it. Otherwise you would never have come here." He said. Dragon leaned his head down and walked away.

Oyaji smiled after the man, "You have a good family Luffy." He said as Dragon's ship sailed away. The two brothers just continued to snore.


End file.
